RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority from Australian Provisional Patent Application No. 2022902788, filed 26 September 2022, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a disinfecting device, and in particular to a disinfecting device for disinfecting a fluid passing through a tube or duct.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The use of UV or UVC light as a disinfectant is well established. Typically, UV light is considered as light falling within the range of 400nm - lOOnm. Light within this range is capable of breaking down molecular bonds within DNA structures, which has the benefit of killing or inactivating microorganisms, such as bacteria and viruses.

In adapting such UV or UVC light to disinfect a surface or a liquid/air medium, there is a need to control the emission of such light and the duration that the surface or liquid/air medium is exposed to such light. LEDs have been developed to function as a source of such light. In recent times, such LEDs have become more advanced to provide a more controlled and regulated light source to provide specific range of operations to ensure that the emitted light is within acceptable tolerances.

However, most existing LED disinfecting devices have been largely developed to disinfect a surface. In such applications, the medium to be disinfected is largely stationary and the LEDs can be simply and effectively positioned to emit the light to the surface at the desired intensity and duration. In instances where the medium to be disinfected is moving and is a fluid medium, such as a gas or liquid, such LED devices are less effective. This is important in relation to medical devices such as ventilators. In such devices, a tube is inserted into a patient’s airways and connected to a ventilator to deliver oxygen to the patient. It will be appreciated that should the connection between the ventilator and the tube be contaminated, the system will deliver contaminated air directly into the patient’s airways, which could have dire consequences in relation to the patient’s health. The same principles apply to air conditioning ducts, in particular to such piping used to distribute air in an aircraft or passenger vehicle, such as a bus or train. In such situations, the air is typically recirculated throughout the cabin or similar travel space, where pathogens may be captured and distributed throughout the structure thereby creating a potentially hazardous environment.

Similarly, in shipping applications, biofouling on international vessels is a considerable problem where vessels may become biosecurity risks due to the presence of organisms in pipes and water storage systems on the vessel. IN such situations, upon docking of the vessel, any organisms within the pipes and tanks of the vessel may be expelled from the vessel into the surrounding waters where biofouling of the waters may occur.

Thus, there is a need to provide a system for use in relation to a tube or duct that can be incorporated into the construction of the tube or duct to function as a disinfecting source that can disinfect the fluid source travelling within the tube or duct.

The above references to and descriptions of prior proposals or products are not intended to be, and are not to be construed as, statements or admissions of common general knowledge in the art. In particular, the above prior art discussion does not relate to what is commonly or well known by the person skilled in the art, but assists in the understanding of the inventive step of the present invention of which the identification of pertinent prior art proposals is but one part.

STATEMENT OF INVENTION

The invention according to one or more aspects is as defined in the independent claims. Some optional and/or preferred features of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.

Accordingly, in one aspect of the invention there is provided a device for disinfecting a fluid travelling within a conduit comprising a strip member configured to be wound about the conduit in a coiled manner, the strip member being configured to direct a blue light into the conduit to disinfect the fluid travelling therein.

In one embodiment of the invention, the strip member is an elongate strip having an upper adhesive surface for adhering to an outer surface of the conduit; an elongate array of LEDs embedded within the upper adhesive surface of the elongate strip, the elongate array of LEDs being spaced apart and configured to be exposed on the upper adhesive surface of the elongate strip; wherein, the elongate strip is configured to be wound about the outer surface of the conduit in a helical manner such that the upper adhesive surface of the elongate strip adheres to the outer surface of the conduit wherein the elongate array of LEDs are located about the conduit and are controlled to emit light into the conduit to disinfect the fluid travelling within the conduit.

In one embodiment, the device comprises a connector to connect between lengths of conduit wound with the elongate strip.

The connector may comprise a central portion and two opposed end portions and wherein the opposed end portions are configured to receive ends of the lengths of conduit wound with the elongate strip.

The central portion of the connector may comprises a path that facilitates flow of fluid between the lengths of conduit and through the connector. The path may be in the form of a tortuous path to reduce the flow of light through the connector between the lengths of conduit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention may be better understood from the following non-limiting description of preferred embodiments, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a prior art arrangement;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a disinfecting device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a side view of the disinfecting device of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is perspective view of a light strip for use in the disinfecting device of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an end view of the light strip of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a top view of the light strip of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the disinfecting device of Fig. 3;

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional side view of the disinfecting device of Fig. 3 showing the light intensity profile; and Fig. 9 is a perspective view of yet another embodiment of the present invention employed in a conventional duct system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred features of the present invention will now be described with particular reference to the accompanying drawings. However, it is to be understood that the features illustrated in and described with reference to the drawings are not to be construed as limiting on the scope of the invention.

The present invention will be described below in relation to its application for use in a tube or duct for a medical ventilator for respiratory support, such as an ICU ventilator. However, it will be appreciated that the disinfecting system of the present invention could be used in a variety of different applications, such as non-invasive Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) and Bi-level Positive Airway Pressure (BPAP) machines, as well as in ducts for delivering conditioned air in aircrafts, aerospace and vehicle air conditioning systems, as well as HVAC systems and water supply systems in ships as well as land applications. In this regard, whilst the present invention will be described below in relation to the disinfection of a gas, such as air or oxygen passing through a tube associated with a ventilator, it will be appreciated that the medium to be disinfected passing through the tube may be any fluid, gas or liquid, as required. Also, whilst the present invention will be described below in relation to a conduit having a circular cross-section, it will be appreciated that the conduit could be any size and cross-sectional shape.

Referring to Fig. 1, a conduit or tube 10 is depicted for carrying the medium to be disinfected in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The tube 10 is typical of a tube used in association with a medical ventilator used in an intensive care unit (ICU) situation. The ventilator (not shown) is an invasive device whereby one end of the tube 10 is inserted into a patient’s airway and the other end is connected to a ventilator for supplying air directly to the patient. Such ventilators are typically required by individuals suffering from a variety of respiratory conditions that make it not possible for the patient to breath in an unassisted manner.

The tube 10 is typically made from a medical grade biocompatible material, such as PTFE, FEP, PFA, PVDF and other such polymeric materials. The tube 10 is hollow and has a degree of flexibility to enable the tube to be pliable and bend during use. The tube 10 is substantially transparent such that light is able to freely pass through the tube 10. The tube 10 may vary in length and may be formed in continuous length extending between the patient and the ventilator, or may comprise a plurality of parts that connect by way of connectors 12, to form a tube of variable length.

Referring to Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, a disinfecting device 20 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is shown. The disinfecting device 20 comprises a hollow conduit or tube 22 having a light strip 25 wrapped around the tube 22 in a helical manner. The tube 22 is substantially the same as the tube 10 depicted in Fig. 1 and is substantially transparent and flexible to facilitate bending during use. The light strip 25 extends substantially the length of the tube 22.

A connector 26 is provided to connect lengths of tubes 22 wrapped with the light strip 25. The connector 26 has a central portion 28 provided between end portions 29. The end portions 29 are in the form of cylindrical pipes configured to receive the ends of the tubes 22 and light strip 25 and may have an internal surface configured to engage with the ends of the tubes 22 to form a substantially air tight seal therebetween. As will be discussed in more detail below, in this arrangement air, or other fluid, is able to travel through the tubes 22, pass through the connector 26, and into another tube 22 mounted on the opposing side of the connector 26, as depicted by the arrows ‘A’ in Fig. 3.

Referring to Fig. 4, the light strip 25 is shown in isolation. As depicted, the light strip 25 is provided in the form of a rolled strip 23 that can be unrolled into a strip and cut to any desired length 24, as required.

Referring to Fig. 5 and Fig. 6, the light strip 25 comprises a base layer 30 that has an under surface 31 that forms the outer surface of the light strip 25 when the light strip is applied to the tube 22. The base layer 20 is made from a non-porous flexible material. An LED strip 33 is attached to an upper surface 32 of the base layer 30 to extend longitudinally along the length of the base layer 30 as shown in Fig. 6. The LED strip is mounted adjacent an edge of the base layer 30 and comprises a plurality of LEDs 34 each mounted on a pair of conductive tracks 35 embedded in the LED strip 33. The conductive tracks 35 provide power to each of the LEDs 34 when power is supplied to the end of the light strip 25 to control the state of the LEDs. The LED strip 33 is adhesively mounted to the upper surface 32 of the light strip 25.

An adhesive layer 36 is mounted to the upper surface 32 of the light strip 25 to extend longitudinally along opposing sides of the light strip 25. The adhesive layer 36 has an adhesive upper surface that bonds to the outer surface of the tube 22 when the light strip 25 is applied thereto. The adhesive layer 36 substantially sandwiches the LED strip 33 therebetween such that the LEDs 34 are exposed on the top surface of the LED strip 33, as depicted in Fig. 5. The spacing of the LEDs 34 along the length of the light strip 25 may vary. Typically the spacing between LEDs 34 is selected to ensure maximum coverage of light around the perimeter of the tube 22 and into the tube 22, when the light strip 25 is wrapped around the tube 22. In this regard, the spacing between LEDs may vary depending upon the diameter of the tube 22 to which the light strip 25 is to be applied.

The LEDs of the present invention are blue light emitting LEDs 34. Blue light emitting LEDs are able to perform a disinfecting procedure. In this regard, blue light is generally light in the spectral range of 405 nm - 450 nm and is part of the visible light spectrum. It is known that microbes, such as bacteria, viruses and the like, contain photo-sensitive compounds inside their cells that are capable of absorbing light and using the light energy to produce enzymes or proteins that boost their growth and vitality. However, when microbes are exposed to blue light at a predetermined density, it is established that the chemical reaction generated within the cells produces different types of reactive oxygen radicals, typically referred to as free radicals. These free radicals are very reactive and can destroy the microbe from the inside, this killing the microbes and performing a disinfection procedure.

Blue light is less harmful than Ultraviolet (UV) light, which is part of the non- visible light spectrum. UV light is made up of short wavelengths of light, and whilst its germicidal effects are well known, UV light has harmful effects on humans and has a propensity to damage devices made of plastics and polycarbon materials.

Referring to Fig. 7, the manner in which the light strip 25 is applied to the tube 22 is shown. The light strip is wound in a helical manner with the adhesive layer 36 of the light strip adhering to the outer surface of the tube 22. In this arrangement, the LEDs 34 are located at the outer surface of the tube 22 as shown. As the LEDs are located closer to one edge of the light strip, each coil of the helical winding of the light strip 25 is able to overlay the other to ensure that the light strip completely covers the exterior of the tube 22, whilst maintaining the LEDs 34 in close proximity to each other along the length of the tube 22.

As is shown in Fig. 8, by winding the light strip 25 about the tube 22 in the helical manner as described, the tube 22 is completely covered by the light strip 25 such that he LEDs 34 emit light directly into the tube 22. Each LED 34 is configured to emit light across a 120° arc, as shown. As such, the combined intensity of the light projecting into the tube 22 is sufficient to treat/disinfect the air passing therethrough, to kill or inactivate microorganisms, such as bacteria and viruses, that may be present in the air.

Due to the high intensity of light directed into the tube 22, to avoid the possibility of an individual looking into an end of the tube and being exposed to extreme light intensity that may damage their eyes, the central portion 28 of the connector

26 has a bend 38, or similar tortuous path means, formed therein. This acts as a barrier to the light passing through the tube 22 but still enables the air of fluid to pass therethrough into the tube 22 mounted on the opposing end of the connector 26.

The connector 26 may be fitted with a tracking device (not shown), such as a micro-chip or the like, to track and record the usage of the device in the field. This can enable the device to be electronically asset managed for the purposes of: determining location and use of the device; determining the number of disinfection cycles undertaken by the device; LED power management; LED power failure detection; LED operation as well as other monitoring and usage recordal functions.

Whilst not shown, it will be appreciated that the tube 22 may include a reflectance wrap or similar layer to further enhance the concentration of the light into the tube 22. Similarly, whilst the tube 22 has been described above as being flexible in nature, the tube 22 may also be a rigid tube made from a non-flexible but translucent material, such as glass.

The LEDs may be configured to emit blue light within the wavelength range of blue light in the spectral range of 405 nm - 450 nm. In other embodiments the LEDs may be configured to emit light at other wavelength ranges as deemed necessary for the application.

As previously discussed, as the present invention has been described in relation to disinfecting air passing through a tube in a ventilator application, the present invention could also be employed in relation to the treatment of water in a water supply system as well as a variety of other applications involving fluids passing through a tube/duct/pipe. In this regard, the present invention functions to apply LEDs capable of emitting UV light directly into a tube/duct/pipe to provide intensive treatment of the medium within the tube/duct/pipe with the UV light for disinfecting purposes. In yet another embodiment, the LED strip may be in the form of a fibre optic cable that is wound about the outer surface of the tube carrying the fluid therein. In this embodiment, blue light can be transmitted through the fibre optic cable and be directed into the tube to perform the disinfection.

As discussed previously, the system of the present invention may be employed in relation to conventional ducts 40, such as those depicted in Fig. 9. Conventional ducts of this type may be formed from a metal, and may used in air conditioning or HVAC systems, as may be employed in buildings, planes, trains and the like.

In order to perform a disinfecting function for fluid, such as air or water, travelling through a duct 40 the light source for supplying the disinfecting light is lined along an internal surface of the duct 40 rather than around the exterior surface of the duct 40.

One means for achieving this is depicted in Fig. 9. In this figure, the FED strip 42 is wound about an inner liner 44, such as a clear body that is inserted into the duct 40. The clear body of the inner liner may be formed from Perspex® or similar material that allows the light emitted from the FED strip to pass therethrough and disinfect the fluid flowing within the duct 40.

The inner surface of the duct 40 may be lined with a reflecting material to ensure that all light is directed into the inner liner 44. The inner liner 44 may be secured in position within the duct 40 by way of an adhesive or other attachment means. The LED light source can be wrapped or lined along the duct 40, shining light internally, and the duct and/or liner can be flexible or rigid. In this regard, the inner liner 44 may be formed from PVC, Quartz, or any other similar material configure to allow light to pass therethrough.

It will be appreciated that such a system for disinfecting flowing fluid passing through a conduit can be employed in a variety if situations, such as in ventilators and ventilator accessories, aircraft, aerospace, shipping vessels, boats, submarines, HVAC systems and water treatment systems.

Throughout the specification and claims the word “comprise” and its derivatives are intended to have an inclusive rather than exclusive meaning unless the contrary is expressly stated or the context requires otherwise. That is, the word “comprise” and its derivatives will be taken to indicate the inclusion of not only the listed components, steps or features that it directly references, but also other components, steps or features not specifically listed, unless the contrary is expressly stated or the context requires otherwise. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that many modifications and variations may be made to the methods of the invention described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.